The present invention relates to a hand grip for an oar used in sculling. More particularly, the grip of the present invention combines a specific arrangement of finger grooves, an end, thumb groove and an orientation indicia for properly aligning these grooves with the centerline of the broad convex face of the blade on the distal or outboard end of the oar.
In the sport and recreational activity of rowing, the boat is often referred to as the shell. One type of shell is a sweep in which each rower has only one oar, called a sweep oar. The rower places both hands on the single sweep oar during the rowing action.
With a type of shell called a scull, each rower has two oars, called scull oars. One hand is placed on each separate scull oar during the rowing action.
While technological improvements have been made in oar materials composition and in blade design, very little attention has been placed on the grip of the oar. Oars are now designed to provide a generally elongated tubular rubber grip which covers the handle of the scull oar, but the current grips do little to facilitate the rowing action except to provide a non-slip gripping surface. Some grips are made of a soft rubber composition which reduces hand slippage; other grips utilize a harder elastic composition provided with a roughened, or cross-hatched, surface to increase frictional forces thereby improving the griping. Thus, most of the focus on improving the hand grip has been directed toward reducing slippage rather than on improving the grip to ultimately increase the rowing efficiency of each stroke. No special shape of grip has been developed to anatomically facilitate the most efficient power transfer from the rower to the water or to facilitate regripping the oar once it has been dropped.
An efficient rowing stroke includes several stages or positions. The "catch" is the part of the stroke when the blade is put into the water. The "pull-through" is the portion of the stroke when the blade moves through the water with the blade perpendicular to the water surface. The act of removing the blade from the water at the end of the pull through is known as the "release". The finish is the position of the rower at the end of the stroke; legs extended, leaning back, arms brought into the body, and the blade is out of the water. A stage known as "hands away" occurs where the rower is at the finish of the stroke, still leaning back but his arms are extended. The "recovery" is the portion of the stroke where the blade is out of the water; the rower moves up the slide and into position for the next catch. "Feathering" is the act of turning the oar blade parallel to the water's surface; "squaring" is the turning of the blade perpendicular to the water's surface.
In order to maximize the transfer of power from the rower to the water so as to propel the shell, the maximum surface area of the blade must be presented to the water to create the propulsion forces. Thus, blade work is a skill that has a direct impact on the movement and speed of the boat. One important aspect of blade work is squaring of the blade. The squaring, or turning of the oar so that the blade is perpendicular to the water's surface, generally starts with the rower's hands going over the ankles and it is executed at a constant speed. It should neither slow down nor stop the motion of the blade before entry into the water. The squared blade is entered into the water and synchronized with the speed of the boat in a scooping fashion. Immediate power application to the oar is provided as soon as the blade is covered in the water.
The squared blade remains buried in the water, moving horizontally at an even depth during the drive stroke. At the release the blade is lifted up and out of the water while still square. This ensures a complete transfer of the rower's power. Feathering of the oar, turning the blade parallel to the water's surface, occurs after the blade completely leaves the water. As the feathered oar is brought back to the next catch position during recovery, the blade should remain parallel to the water's surface and remain very horizontal.
The present invention provides a special and unique grip construction which ensures that the rower's hands are appropriately positioned on the oar handle such that when the oar is pulled through the water or when the oar is moved through the recovery position of the stroke, the broad face of the blade member of the oar is in its most efficient position for power transfers in the water, and the least air resistance in recovery. Further, the present inventive grip has a slightly elliptical contour along its outer surface to encourage use of the fingers by the rower and reduce contact of the palms with the grip.
Further yet, the present inventive grip provides a structure whereby the oar may be regripped, if accidentally dropped during rowing, without the rower looking out at the blade end to determine its relative position to the water surface. The unique arrangement of the elements of the present invention ensures that once the oar grip is regrasped, the rower knows the orientation of the blade.